Ice shoves on Lake Winnebago in Oshkosh, March 11, 2026. PC: Fox 11 Online
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — While ice shoves are nothing new to those who live along Lake Winnebago, this year’s have become a spectacle.
“I would say this is the highest ice shoves I’ve seen in a number of years,” said Ron Gomoll of Oshkosh.
In just a 24-hour period, the ice shoves along the western shoreline grew from small piles to massive walls — some taller than the nearby homes they’re inching toward.
Warmer weather earlier this week combined with gusty winds to create the perfect conditions for ice shoves. The force of the wind is pushing the chunks of ice farther on shore.
Some homes along the shoreline are boarding up windows to prevent damage, in case the ice shoves continue to grow.
“I think if you lived in this house, it wouldn’t be a lot of fun. But it’s unique, yes,” Gomoll added.
“I feel sorry for the people that have to deal with it, but that’s part of nature. That’s the way it is,” said Roger Arndt, who drove from Weyauwega with his wife, Susan, to see the giant immovable ice mountains.
“It’s pretty amazing. Pretty amazing. We’ve seen it on the east shore years ago, where it piles up really high, but I’ve never seen it quite like this on the west shore,” Arndt said.
Gail and Jay Nowlamd, who live in Tampa, are reverse snowbirds. They come back to Oshkosh to experience the winter and returned upon hearing more snow was headed to Northeast Wisconsin.
“My friends told us what was happening today, so we came down to see it,” Gail said about the ice shoves. “And then I was shocked to see what it really meant. I thought it was just gathered snow at first, until you get closer.”
“A few years ago, about 50 years ago, we lived here,” Jay said. “We had just a little bit of the ice shoves. But this is crazy this year.”
As the winds have slowed, so has the growth of the ice shoves — hopefully enough to save nearby homes from damage.
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